Bernie Sanders rips 2024 Harris campaign for being ‘heavily influenced by wealthy people'
CNN's 'State of the Union' host Dana Bash pressed Sanders on a statement he made on one of his 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour stops about the former vice president.
Bash played a clip of Sanders telling the crowd, 'One of the reasons, in my view, that Kamala Harris lost this election is she had too many billionaires telling her not to speak up for the working-class of this country.'
The CNN host reacted to the clip and said, 'ouch.'
'I like her, she's a friend of mine, but her core consultants, you know, were heavily influenced by very wealthy people. How do you run for president and not develop a strong agenda which speaks to the economic crises facing working families?' Sanders asked.
'You know, more income and wealth inequality today than we've ever had. You have 60% of our people living paycheck to paycheck. You've got a healthcare system which is broken and dysfunctional — and despite spending so much — we're the only major country not to guarantee health care to all people. How do you not talk about these issues?' Sanders continued.
4 Sanders said that the Harris campaign was 'heavily influenced by wealthy people.'
CNN
4 US Vice President Kamala Harris arrives for a campaign event in Flint, Michigan, US, on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024.
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Bash pushed back and said Harris talked about affordability.
Sanders argued that Harris talked about it vaguely, but said he didn't want to rehash the 2024 campaign.
'I think the clue to Democratic victories is to understand that you've got to stand unequivocally with the working class of this country. You need an agenda that speaks to the needs of working people,' Sanders said.
4 Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent from Vermont, exits after speaking during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024.
Bloomberg via Getty Images
He went on to call for guaranteed healthcare for all Americans and an increased minimum wage.
'Is it [a] radical idea to say that in the midst of a competitive global economy, we need to make sure we have the best educated workforce that all of our kids, regardless of income, should be able to get a higher education?
'These ideas exist all over the world. They don't exist in America, and they don't exist because of the power of the oligarchs, economically and politically,' he said.
4 Democratic presidential nominee, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris pauses while speaking on stage as she concedes the election, at Howard University on November 06, 2024 in Washington, DC.
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The senator called America's political system 'broken and corrupt.'
Sanders was also asked if he planned to run for president again in 2028.
'Oh, god. Let's not worry about that. I am going to be 84 years of age next month, as a matter of fact. So I think that speaks for itself. But right now, what is more important in my view — and I want to see, obviously, the most progressive candidate that we can have — is to rally the grassroots of America,' he said.
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Trump's actions have created a crisis in the DC advocacy space that supports the city's homeless population. His antagonistic posture toward a city where Kamala Harris won 90% of the vote last year should not come as a surprise, conservativestrategist Gregg Keller told CNN. 'it's a very poorly kept secret,' Keller said. 'It's understood within the political right and the Trump administration that these advocacy groups are often little more than political arms of the Democrat Party, which helps explain why they're being targeted for scrutiny.' The DC mayor's office declined to comment when contacted by CNN. Bernard, the homeless woman who lives outside a Mount Pleasant grocery store, swept up her area with a broom Wednesday morning before what was supposed to be a scheduled cleanup by city agencies, that was slated several weeks before Trump's announcements. Employees from local nonprofits that have worked with her for years — trying to get her into permanent housing — were also waiting to see what would happen, and if any of the newly empowered federal agents would tear down her site. She had three chairs, a doormat, a small table, nearly 20 bags filled with food and clothes, a cooler, and two shopping carts. A handful of well-wishers from the tight-knit neighborhood stopped by, too. One young woman flagged down 'Miss Heather,' hugged her, and handed her a bag with some food. 'I felt alone and lost,' before settling in Mount Pleasant two decades ago, Bernard said. 'They care about me in this community. I'm very mannerly, and I try to behave. But I have problems, too. I'm homeless, I'm bipolar, and a few other things. But I don't let it deter me.' Due to a logistical hiccup, the scheduled clean-up didn't happen. But Bernard's future is uncertain. And advocates like Edward Wycoff, from District Bridges, who works on Bernard's case, say the Trump-backed sweeps disrupt real efforts to end homelessness. 'The amount of money expended on pushing people out pales in comparison to what we're going to end up spending,' Wycoff said. 'They'll no longer be connected to their services, and then the cost becomes exponential. If this is a test case — on this block or in this city, as it seems to be — we will have a very dire situation in the coming months.' Other homeless DC residents that spoke to CNN expresses unease about shelters even if a bed is available — which the White House says could lead to their arrest. 'They keep sending me to shelters, and I'm not shelter material,' said Isis Burnette, who is has been homeless for three years and lives on the street in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Holding back tears, she said, 'I don't belong in a shelter. I want a house. I want a home.' CNN's Camila DeChalus, Kit Maher, Christine Lien and Steven Williams contributed to this report.
